Guitar Tonewood Comparison! - Can You Hear The Difference?

[@keith.loves.lasagna]

Best comparison video I've seen... and I've seen many! Both sound great. Basswood has more cut. Alder a little more warmth. Very close though!

[@jimistheman9732]

Yes... and it once again proves that there IS a difference in woods (whether it's species, or specific piece, there IS a difference). This also dispels the comeback from the naysayers in past tests of identical guitars wherein they said that "the electronics are not identical!". In this test the electronics are the same. It shows that science still works. As for preference, I liked the Alder too, but I'm more of an LP guy, so warmer is my preference.

[@charvelgtrs]

It doesn't prove any differences is caused by the wood. There are many variables. Is the fret wire the same material/size, is the nut the same?

[@jimistheman9732]

As predicted... "bu, bu, but... the moon was in a different position! ".

[@charvelgtrs]

You can't ignore variables. Anyways, the test still proves that any differences are extremely subtle. That even if wood made a difference its not as drastic as some would led you to believe. Now when it comes to acoustic guitars then of course different wood species can make a drastic difference.

[@jimistheman9732]

Charvelgtrs: They've eliminated all possible variables here. The difference is obvious and proves that those who say "you can make a solid body guitar out of cement and it sounds the same" are wrong. Wood differences DO matter. But some people will continue to move the target, even when it's hit in the bullseye, and claim the arrow was off.

[@vinireinert1]

I'm asking myself why don't you have more subscribers, your videos are so high quality. Good job bro!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Vinicius Reinert Thanks! I appreciate the kind words!

[@_vsalts]

because apparently, memes > information hahahuhu

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

As a side note: If you wondered if putting good pickups in a cheaper guitar is worth it - I think this video proves that it is worth it! The Squier and American Strats both sound equally good :) Best to listen with a good set of speakers/headphones!

[@0v3rgr0wn]

Would you change anything else about the squiers though? Just pickups? What about a bridge, tuning keys, the electronics?

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+I drive a smart car For a Squier Standard, or Deluxe I wouldn't change the tuning machines or bridges. A drop in loaded pickguard would be the way to go as it gives a total electronic upgrade :)

[@0v3rgr0wn]

+Darrell Braun Guitar Ah, I see. I didn't even know those were a thing. The more you know!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+I drive a smart car 👍

[@SLAMSTERDAMN]

I'm surprised how well these apple earbuds are doing w/this stuff. 8/'16. The best $20 Sony not noise cancelling cans for my iPad amp apps.

[@monsarad888]

Never could decide it for myself over the last 40 years or so, ending up with a huge guitar collection. Indecisiveness can easily cost you a fortune. Great testing by the way, one of the smartest I've seen so far regarding that tonewood topic, well done Mr. Braun

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+monsarad888 Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison :)

[@notasian7620]

love to see someone do this test but just do the same guitar the whole time to see if people think they are different that would be hilarious!

[@stricknine8623]

I GUARANTEE you that it would work....You would have few replies, IF ANY, stating that they could not tell a difference. Instead they would say that guitar #1 was warmer than the guitar #2 or whatever all while it #1 and #2 was the same guitar. You're right it would be hilarious because that's EXACTLY what would happen.

[@MrClassicmetal]

@David Chatterton They've done that test with trumpets. One made of high quality copper, and the other one made of cheap tin. With measuring equipment it was shown that there was a significant difference between the sounds of the instruments. But with a blindfold test people couldn't really tell the instruments apart. It was hit or miss. But when they were able to _see_ the instruments when they were played, they suddenly favoured the copper instrument, and claimed that the sound was much more pleasant, and had a rich, balanced tone.

[@Crabfather]

@David Chatterton I could hear a difference and I've never really been convinced there would be. You ears must be shite.

[@nathanaeldavenport2251]

The only truly effective listening tests are the double blind type, where the listeners are not aware of what they are listening to, or even that there is a listening test occurring. Aside: as an audio engineer, I can’t count how many times I’ve “heard” a difference when EQ’ing a track where the EQ was unwittingly in bypass mode. Our auditory perception is very fluid and easily manipulated by other factors.

[@qua7771]

If someone changed anything on my daily p!ayer, I would know right away. I doubt a listener would, but they would notice a players level of enthusiasm.

[@rogerledoux4741]

Here's the problem. if wood makes a difference which is questionable. It has the least affect on tone. String highth, strings, nut, setup, saddles. where you are playing on the guitar, how hard you fret the notes all play a much bigger roll in sound then the wood. Tone wood is a marketing gimmick which gets people to pay more for quote tone wood. It's called conformation bias. You hear what you want to hear.

[@BibleStorm]

I don't think that many people buy into it. I wasn't drawn into playing electric guitar by people debating over "tonewoods", I wanted that hot screaming rockstar distortion. Many more people debate over their pedals, amps and pickups.

[@U2WB]

The pickups only sense the metal string vibrating within a magnetic field thereby inducing a current flow. Wood has absolutely no contribution to this process.

[@elnyoutube123]

Bro thats just not true. I play a strat with a rosewood fretboard and could CLEARLY tell every single time which one was maple because it sounded so different to my guitar.

[@Steven_SK]

@@elnyoutube123 I agree. Everything matters or there would be only one "vanilla" guitar we all play..... IMHO

[@stricknine8623]

@@U2WB Exactly,.. That is just as factual as stating that "water is wet"

[@mat.4k535]

if there is a difference it is EXTREMELY subtle, really unnoticeable

[@That__Guy]

I think the dress is blue and black.

[@pjincho]

Nope. It’s saying Yani.

[@martinarmendariz_staff-reg1728]

I like having and playing several different guitars, they all have their own sound. I believe that each guitar is a work of art worthy to be played and loved for their unique sound. Great videos...

[@1000foxtrot]

I feel exactly like you ..... and I believe if you took two identical guitars - from different times of produktion there'd be differences too...

[@seangriffey8669]

I'm loving these blind comparisons. Really helps remove the bias and preconceived notions we all unconsciously have. Keep it up!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Sean Griffey Thanks! Glad you liked the comparison :)

[@facundodinella8094]

The basswood/ maple is a great combination.Really deep and bright in those basses and really warm and rounded high notes. The other one also sounded really good. In the end, both combinations were balanced (alder is bright and rosewood more warm) - (basswood is warm and maple bright) really good set ups. I think there would be a bigger diference if they were a alder/maple vs a basswood/rosewood. Great video!

[@williamdavid6]

I personally love the sound of Basswood Bodies due to the benefits it provides for sustained notes. the alder would definitely be great to be combined with a second guitar on basswood to provide some pretty clear emotional effect to a song being played if done correctly :)

[@sauliloukkola9735]

Great video, thanks! I've had dozens of guitars with different kind of wood combinations over the years. I have noticed that acoustic sound of the guitars may be quite different, but when you add pickups and amps and effects, those differences can hardly be heard. Then the psychology steps in: You have the feeling of the acoustic sound in your head, so you think there is a big difference...

[@rhykko77]

Greatly admire the tones you get when you play and your styles of play

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+rhykko77 Thanks! 😀

[@chegaro1967]

Awesome video! Both woods sound great. Basswood is smooth airy and mellow, while Alder is less forgiving but beautifully tight sounding and resonant, and generally apparently "louder" ...both sound beautiful!

[@zhauranak]

Any difference I may have perceived is probably due to the confirmation bias and potentially different picking. Thanks for de-bunking this again!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+zhauranak Glad you enjoyed the comparison :)

[@BIBSTERSrepairshop]

I really like how can show your opinion without throwing insults at people great video man

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Kyle jackson Glad you liked it!

[@rayrivera1830]

nope, could not tell the difference. But I prefer maple it feels nice to play on.

[@SiddharthKarunakaran]

I prefer the feel of rosewood...

[@DillpickleWill69]

i prefer my wood...... the one between my legs

[@JendaHrbac]

Guglielmo Moggio I'd feel weird shredding on that.

[@SiddharthKarunakaran]

I don't think you got the joke...

[@SiddharthKarunakaran]

Hang on a second, your the same guy that made the joke. Wtf?

[@bernardofernandes2226]

Hi Darrel! Congratulations! You are very scientifical with your comparison methods. Your blind tests terminate the debates concerning technical aspects, that are commonly put almost as mystical things. And the most important: even the people that do not agree with you, don't get offended. And it's all because of your tranquility and attention to the details. I'm a big fan of your work. I wish I could have you as my guitar teacher! Greetings from Brazil!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Bernardo Fernandes Thanks Bernardo! I appreciate your kind words :)

[@Axess-sv8nq]

"People listen with their eyes." - Les Paul. Had this been a BLIND test, people wouldn't be making the claims they are.

[@SkyscraperGuitars]

I'm really glad I came across your channel. Your comparison vids are fantastic. I enjoy your playing as well.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+SkyScraper Guitars Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying the channel 👍

[@PHELCAN]

the basswood one sounds like how the alder one will sound when you add EQ and compression. The great tone was instantly there.

[@congamike1]

Results are in! My preference is for the sounds Darrell can play over my playing.

[@Nenkanuko69]

finally someone did really good comparison between body's wood. I think rosewood + alder sounds warmer then maple + basswood

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Gudvik I'm glad you liked the video :)

[@PB-ok1nm]

Your videos are always so high quality, thanks for the upload!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Connor PB Thanks! Glad you liked the vid :)

[@lattelucks4924]

I have a Strat made out of Basswood To my ear alder has that "snappy" quality and Basswood is a little more mellow To be perfectly honest aside from a drastic difference in physical weight id say the tonal differences are minimal. In fact I prefer Basswood as I always found alder strats and teles a little too bright at times, just my opinion though

[@toemasmeems]

Same man I love Basswood for most of my playing but I do enjoy Alder for downtuned music because they just compliment each other well

[@johnmax5808]

Your channel is so HQ and deserves to have 1M+ subs! Really dig your videos!

[@1969MARKETING]

Basswood and Poplar are two of the most underrated guitar body woods.

[@dannychane]

I agree!

[@DemonKingOFFICIAL]

My only issue with poplar is that it’s usually a bit heavier than mahogany and alder. Sounds good though.

[@promerops]

I'm really impressed, Darrell, with the effort you put into making these videos - greatly appreciated. I wouldn't have thought it, but for me the alder and basswood guitar seems to have more depth than the basswood and maple instrument, when played clean. My elderly ears can't distinguish any difference between them when played with distortion. Thanks!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+promerops I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison :)

[@damien6685]

Absolutely excellent work. Love the lack of bias.

[@Thirdgen83]

The basswood has a tighter low-end, and maybe a touch more midrange. The difference is slight.

[@MrRafaelMatiazoguita]

Awesome comparison. I really like both guitar tones.

[@Megazodiac]

Great video! I couldn't hear a difference. I thought the basswood sounded a little "darker" but it could have been my imagination and the difference was so small it wouldn't be a deciding factor in my guitar choice, and the fretboards were different anyway, so that could have had an effect on the tone. You should have transferred the neck over at the same time as you transferred the pickups and wiring. Also, there was a tiny bit of reverb on every track so the subharmonic undertones of the wood would be obscured under the layering. Maybe do another video with identical necks and a few tracks with no reverb? Also, were the strings identical? Old strings sound different to me. (Maybe that's my imaginations too, can you test that?) Now I'll watch all the rest of your videos. Cheers!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Charles Harris Yeah, same strings :) I was curious to see what would happen if I used as different wood as possible. A neck swap would be best for isolating just the boy wood as you suggested :) Good suggestions! And welcome to the channel!

[@SteelyEyedMissileDan]

I’ve got an alder strat with a rosewood fingerboard and I’ve been wanting a basswood/maple for a while, just because I prefer the look of the maple over rosewood. Now I’m happier with what I’ve got because I much prefer the tone of the alder/rosewood guitar. Thanks for the video!

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

Yep. I've tried gigging with a basswood strat. It sucked. Alder is a much more responsive body wood for a strat type of build. Even ibanez basswood RG's sound like crap to me.

[@93greenstrat]

IMO, the whole tonewood thing is overrated when it comes to solid body electrics. By the design, the solid body guitar minimizes the effects of the body unlike an acoustic instrument like a piano where the wood is a direct factor in the sound.

[@lordMaroza]

It wasn't really subtle. I can tell the difference pretty easy, and I have to say I'm surprised that wood actually means a lot. Especially if you're looking for "the sound".

[@lil_weasel219]

Yes

[@TheEchelon]

Furry Jedi You think you can, but that doesn't mean anything. Do a double blinded test and you'll probably embarass yourself.

[@toledo2983]

@@TheEchelon the players that couldnot hear the difference maybe are very talented bassplayers...

[@kenchuba6024]

Keep doing these kind of tests. It really helps when your eyes aren't part of the equation. I like that you make us use our ears to determine what sounds better to us. Great site and great ideas! Cheers!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Ken Chuba Thanks Ken, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@darraghtate440]

I can't hear a difference with the heavy distortion, but can hear it just fine with lower amounts of gain.

[@neilpincus4667]

Brings out more of the harmonic detail. Clean tones tend to push the fundamental note more.

[@tablaturebutler2823]

You win Top Comment on this thread - so many people mistake "I can't hear a difference" for "there isn't any difference" it renders their opinion useless. Here's a clue - some people don't have anything resembling acute hearing - some people have EXTREMELY acute hearing, and many of them are musicians, who have either naturally sensitive or well-trained ears. Maybe their alpha hearing influenced their choosing a musical path. Ya think? Turns out actual musicians are the ones who feel most passionately about tone woods and their various qualities. I wonder why? Maybe because THEY can hear what many others can't, and the subtle differences are important to them. Bottom line - it isn't up to the ones who "can't" hear a difference" to decide for everyone else "there isn't a difference"...

[@JohnShalamskas]

Finally someone gets it. Great comment! Listening for subtle differences in tone requires every step in the audio chain to not change or lose bits of the sound. microphone - cable - recorder & ADC - post production software - KZbin compression (ugh) - DAC - amp - speakers or headphones - listener's hearing ability. I can hear the difference between the two guitars, even after KZbin has compressed the video and mangled the audio phase relationships. In a live setting, the difference would be a bit more obvious. I wish the necks used in this demo were more similar, because the rosewood fingerboard tends to have a slightly less scooped midrange and lessened high frequency response (less jangly) than the all-maple neck. Both sound good, it's up to personal preference which you will like better. I thought I wanted an all-maple neck, but the rosewood fingerboard sounds more musical to me. I tried out a custom strat with rosewood fingerboard a month ago and it sounded amazing, but not quite like a normal strat... maybe I should go back and have another listen.

[@AMRs]

Tablature Butler - most pro science people who refute the tonewood believers would point out that YOU cannot hear what you THINK you can hear and it has nothing to do with auditory acuity. It has to do with placebo effect and confirmation bias. Every golden-eared believer is rendered into a stuttering, stammering excuse-making, self-bullshitting machine as soon as you offer to wager on their ability to demonstrate any of their beliefs under blinded conditions.

[@tablaturebutler2823]

Welding Is Fun - Sorry - I put no faith in your religion. I absolutely CAN tell the difference between a Les Paul Jr with a P90 on it and the identical pickup mounted on a jazz box. If the pickups are identical - logic dictates that the ONLY thing that creates a different audio signature is the resonant qualities of the differing substrates. And yes - I would bet on that. What settled this matter for me was having the great good fortune to play a Trussart hollow steel-bodied tele-style guitar. It sounded EXACTLY like an empty tin can with a pickup on it - in a very haunting and musical way. Why? Because of the resonant quality of the substrate - duh. Absent all wood - it answered the "tone wood" question once and for all. A revelation! But I know how important dogma is to true believers - so you can run along now - I won't pester you any more...

[@equaleyez]

Video liked even before hearing the actual comparison. If you wanna prepare a comparison, this is how you do it!

[@flightofthefatman]

You da man...just the video I was wanting to see. Thanks for doing these as there is quite a bit of effort just to swap the gear over little alone the video setup and editing. 👏👏👏 Couldn't really notice to much difference except the basswood was a little brighter. But I did get one of the blind tests wrong. The greatest thing about this video is I can defend my MIJ Strat and its basswood body against the jibes of the snobby purists namely my wealthy cousin. 😁 Tanx

[@icenic_wolf]

I preferred the alder/rosewood for cleans, and the basswood/maple for distortion. I would not have guessed that would be the case - but I watched/listened a second time just to be sure. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+HKDavedis 😀👍

[@grantgauthier-parker7266]

I thought there was a noticeable difference in tone in the 1st 2 tests, I even got the blind test right, but I couldn't hear a difference between the distorted sounds, because, well, it was distorted lol. personally I prefere the basswood over the alder. it had more of the deep resonating tones tones that you'd hear from an acoustic, not that it sounded like one.

[@nancreations]

I watch a bunch of your vids. This one in particular has made a big difference for me, since I like the sounds of a guitar, basically with the same wood components that I like the sound. Leaving it to a matter of electronics, if need be, to tailor the sound, hence I am getting myself an aerodyne strat. They are such a beauty.

[@jerbear1601]

Rosewood combo sounds warmer and Maple neck sounds more brittle. Really depends what you are playing, how you play and what amp you are using.

[@Brando-nx6ub]

I noticed that too

[@bluwng]

Placebo. If he didn't give the answers even better, let you know what type of guitars they were, you would never know. I bet if he told you one had humbuckers and the other did not, you would make so many wild guesses vs figuring out what was really going on. Tonewood argument counters physics.

[@raskolnikov1873]

I closed my eyes and just listened to this video because I understand that bias can be a very strong factor in what we think we hear or see (hence the need to double blind our experiments when possible). I couldn't tell the difference between the two guitars at all. Not even slightly.

[@AMRs]

Raskolnikov- the golden eared wizards will be along shortly to point out that you just have 'bad ears', when it's really just a degree of 'intellectual integrity' that they do not posses.

[@jerbear1601]

KZbin videos are fun and full of ideas but sound comparison is not their strong suit. Live in the room with your ears is the only way. Heck, I've been trying to squeeze every bit of tone out of my gear since I started playing and surprises keep coming when I try new things. My newest one is using modelling with FRFR speakers! WOW!

[@fourthlayer]

FINALLY!!! A CORRECT comparison. If there is a difference, it could be most likely heard by someone with super natural hearing or an O scope. This video is EXCELLENT!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+fourthlayer Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison :)

[@Wormweed]

Not a big difference. Not sure if it's from the guitars or your fingers, as its hard to play 100% equal on both guitars. But i dont really believe in this tonewood debate. I think there could be a small difference from a light weight wood, to a heavy wood. But there is no way there could be a difference in tone if both the wood types have the same density and weight.

[@mamorumiyagawa]

Not much into commenting videos, but gotta say that this is the most accurate and well made Tonewood comparison I found on youtube. Congrats man, you should have more subscribers for sure! And btw, Basswood/Maple sounds brighter and Alder/Rosewood more balanced. I'd go with Alder/Rosewood but they are both a pleasure to hear.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+mamoru miyagawa Thanks for commenting! Thanks for the kind words too, I appreciate it :)

[@mamorumiyagawa]

btw, what about a comparison on Tube Amps pushed by OD pedals vs Solid state amps pushed by OD pedals

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+mamoru miyagawa Good idea, I'll see what I can do!

[@costalongajp]

maple and alder tends to brighter and basswood and rosewood to be warmer, seems like these combinations equilibrate these characteristics

[@tastjohn1889]

I prefer with the basswood+maple, rounded sounds and smooth, thanks for this video man, this video really help to make a choice..

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Glad to help! ☺

[@chriswerkz6233]

I could tell the difference in the clean tones. I have one guitar made of Basswood with a Maple neck. The tone of the Basswood on the low end is mushy and dull. There is less attack with Basswood some people like this some don't. Neither are bad choices always buy what YOU like.

[@isaacjohnson.]

Both sound good. Agreed with what you said at the end-regardless of wood, find the guitar that you like and play that-you'll get good sounds out of it.

[@ShivamSharma-zd8lw]

not a meaningful difference

[@DeOrestes]

Not in the studio it isn't.

[@gitaarlessenamersfoort920]

DeOrestes and live even less

[@Slammediadotca]

But there is a difference, so those people saying has zero affect are wrong. Period.

[@denverwilliams22]

Shivam Sharma but it's a difference none the less. So all the "scientists" who say pickups are the only deciding factor in tone are wrong.

[@denverwilliams22]

Shivam Sharma but it's a difference none the less. So all the "scientists" who say pickups are the only deciding factor in tone are wrong.

[@barchetta3]

As someone else mentioned, I could hear slight difference on the cleaner tones...the Alder/Rosewood was a bit brighter than the Basswood/Maple. However, with distortion I could not detect the difference. I agree with your advice on not worrying too much about wood when buying a guitar.

[@GuitarLava]

Great comparison. It's funny I can tell the difference and actually prefer the basswood/maple combo. I missed what pickups you had in the pickguard. What were they?

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Guitar Lava They are DiMarzio pickups :)

[@GuitarLava]

I really liked the sound of those. What DiMarzios are they? Between DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan you have a million choices.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Guitar Lava So true - almost overwhelming! These are the area 58/58/61

[@GuitarLava]

Thx again pal!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Guitar Lava Anytime :)

[@marciolima20]

Excellent video! The principle of scientific experimentation ! Really good! Congrats!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Márcio Lima Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@LightningJackFlash]

Well, I could have some points here. First - I don't know which one I "prefer", I liked both of the tones :) Second thing - the Alder+Rosewood actually sounds "darker", with less mids. The Basswood+Maple sounded actually brighter, a little louder as it seemed, but that may be due to more mids. Anyway it was all audible to me. I have good headphones, so believe me ;) To confirm that, all of the blind tests I got correctly. Nice video, though.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Jack1981 Thanks for the comment :) Glad you liked the comparison 👍

[@bgttgb100]

really? i actually thought i heard quite a lot more bass but less mids and highs in the basswood, and i thought the maple sounded very bright with little bass? but there absolutely is a difference in the sound imho. like alot. EDIT: i'm clearly retarded because everyone hears basswood as brighter apparently.. maybe i just got them switched in ma noggin idk

[@stevelogan1699]

It was a great idea to use the same pots and pickups in both guitars, Darrell. I thought the differences between the guitars were most audible when played clean and on the neck pickup. With distortion or when you were using the middle pickup I found them harder to tell apart. I agree it’s mostly a matter of what they feel like for any given guitarist to play. Certainly in a band mix, I don’t think you could register differences as subtle as these. But under your fingers the necks and fingerboards will clearly feel different. A simple thing is that bending a string across a rosewood board you can often feel the grain of the wood; on a maple board this is far less likely. And as you say a person’s feeling about colour and shape will influence how much you like a particular guitar. Great video, Darrell: precise, economical and useful. Thank you!

[@maya_coqsalonga]

The size of the wood doesn't matter. That's not what she said.

[@Prreinke]

Freaky! I could only tell a super slight difference and that was when you had the selector on clean (middle position). I fully agree with the advice you offer at the end ... the difference is so slight it's not a deal breaker if shopping for an instrument. Very cool video. Keep 'em coming!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Paul Reinke Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the vid :)

[@jimmyt9446]

There is definately some small audible difference to my ears

[@paulapplewhite6135]

Great video Darrell. I correctly guessed these but only by a whisker, (and of course immediately after seeing the non-blind clips first). Really struggled to hear any difference with blind-test no. 3. But blind-testing without the video clips? No chance! :)

2:19 vs 2:41

[@glennpettersson9002]

The summary says it all, couldn't agree more.

[@BrentODell]

I didn't even notice when you switched guitars, so.... that settles it for me.

[@BibleStorm]

I'm not gonna fight you about it like others are in here. I think the difference is there but it's not such a difference that it's really crucial to your tone. Like you said, you didn't notice. Shows how big of a difference it is.

[@toledo2983]

i could see this with the color of the guiar body.

[@vangelisxanthakis1901]

Me neither, not sure if I am too old and I cannot hear the differences but the headset which I am using is a very good one :-)

[@onixtheone]

Love your videos man I hate when companies and "famous" guitarists talk about tonewoods on electric guitars affecting sound.. just buy based on looks and let your ears hear the difference but sadly people hear with their eyes

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Onix Junes Thanks man! Too true 👍

[@bradhoward6952]

I preferred the Basswood. I thought it was better in the first two tests, no difference in the bridge distortion test or simple chord tests. I felt it was a fuller sound and I liked the bass notes and higher notes as the point of difference. I enjoyed the way this was done, would have preferred the same neck wood for a body only difference.

[@mralgebro]

That white strat is so classy. Love that pickguard. Great comparison.

[@guardian7keys]

blind test is the only way to go, when comparing sound. yep couldn't tell the difference.

[@jgrossma]

Agreed. If you really wanted to test differences here, you'd need much more sophisticated testing than just A vs B. You'd need EVERY combination of woods (maple neck/alder body, rosewood/alder, maple/basswood, etc), you'd want multiple examples of each subtype of instrument (to eliminate outliers and/or demonstrate consistency), and you'd have to make sure everything else was identical: Same pickups (optimally the exact same loaded pickguard swapped between instruments), same bridge, same string type (all new), same action height and intonation (appropriately measured), etc. You'd want to record multiple different samples of each instrument, with the same player, who him/herself is blindfolded, to create a fairly large sample dataset. This would effectively eliminate outliers due to random chance. Listeners would first take a survey evaluating their experience playing, and their beliefs about wood effect on tone. They'd have to listen to all of this through high-fidelity speaker systems, for "baseline". Second time they'd listen again, and try to group instruments by wood type. Order of the samples would be randomized each time. Then you'd need a statistical analysis of individual and group performance. It would be a highly labor intensive study, and one not suited to a quick KZbin video. I'd plunk down cash money betting that there wouldn't be anyone out there who could consistently group the four instrument subtypes accurately by tone. In fact, I'd bet that many listeners wouldn't even be able to accurately group different samples of the EXACT SAME instrument consistently. I'd also be sure that no matter what the results of this study, nobody would accept them!

[@noice9709]

Really great point ... Thanks for bringing this into the mix!

[@sebastiancoe4708]

Ro Nin I could hear the difference even without the blind test

[@isher9035]

Agree to disagree. I notice very very VERY subtle differences clean, but when distorted I hear no difference. Clean, the alder just seems to sparkle a touch more--but nothing an EQ change couldn't fix.

[@MrMOGHammer]

I heard a difference even distorted, basswood sounded a bit dull compared to alder.

[@dt9r]

3 out of 3 on the blind test and it is exactly whay I expected tonewise, for me it's the evidence the wood matters a lot, I already knew it but sometimes it is useful that someone reminds me this, thank you.

[@LYLEWOLD]

didn't hear a difference between the guitars. i did hear a shift in your playing in test #2, but no idea if it means anything (preference, tired, happy, ...). fun to try to hear the difference though.

[@BIBSTERSrepairshop]

Wait so you can have an opinion about this and not just make insults at people who feel the other way, class act dude love the videos

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Kyle jackson 😄 Thanks!

[@edsx8099]

rosewood definitely sounds brigther

[@apeman5090]

I own a Fender MIM Strat made with a Basswood body and Maple neck that I play every day and I could definitely pick out which sound test was the Basswood each time! Guess my ear just recognizes that sound. Very good video

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Matt Bain Nice! Glad you liked the video 👍

[@TheForce_Productions]

Tonewood only affect the pocket of who buying a guitar.

[@vladimirsadovnikov3797]

All places I thought it's alder it was basswood and vice verse. Basswood sounded surprisingly brighter to me. Good comparison.

[@Alexanderstarreveldo]

Even though the difference is small, once you know what to look for, it's easy to tell. Basswood softens some of the deepest lows and the highs, sometimes giving the illusion of a warmer more mid-rangey sound. Alder extends the high end slightly and leaves a little more room for the lows. Basswood is great for cutting through a mix and alder is good for filling up alittle more mix-space. In a band with two guitars? Basswood would be great! Only guitarist in the band? Alder would be awesome. But the differences are still so small that you can still get great sounds no matter what you have!

[@Seraph311]

It'll depend on the ear, but the differences seemed fairly obvious to me--between the punchier mids from the alder/rosewood and the more spread out high and low frequencies of the basswood/maple. It'd be a bit much to say that one is a cut above the other, though, for sure. Thanks for going above and beyond with the comparison. Very useful. Will definitely be keeping it in mind when considering tonewoods.

[@mutantestark9341]

100 % Right YEAH!! Basswood is clearly brighter and i admit i fell for it! But i dont know if i love the basswood or the maple, or both!!! PS: On distortion they were almost identical, differences were bigger on clean.

[@J__C__]

Just bought a basswood body guitar. Glad I found this. Thanks, Darrell!

[@aaronbrown0417]

tone wood is alot less important than electronics or hardware

[@Bagledog5000]

Nicely done! The difference isn't huge but since there's enough of one to tell in a blind test, I'd say the tonewood camp has a point. Personally I preferred the basswood body m/neck because for me, the notes were clearer than the alder body rosewood/neck. Other folks ears will have different opinions I'm sure. If possible it would be nice to see other comparisons. On another note, I switched to compensated brass saddles on my T-master this week after watching your vid on that a few months earlier. I'm pleased to say that the results were excellent. Thanks for doing these, they help a great deal.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Bagledog5000 Awesome! That's great to hear!

[@mitchellhunter7996]

Redo the test using the same bridge and neck.The contact points of the strings make up so much of the tone so things like fret material, nut material and bridge material could be skewing the basswood body to sound brighter. The EQ spectrum analysis at the end was a nice touch, would like to see that throughout the whole video!

[@gillyboyNY]

I picked out the alder body in the blind tests as my preference. I handled the bass notes better, they were clear and not muddy like the basswood. The highs also shimmer more with the alder wood. It was a little harder to pick out with the distortion but the alder was more focused. Great comparison!

[@MrBlank0907]

It took headphones and some concentration to hear the difference, even with the prior knowledge that maple usually sounds more bright. Great comparison.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Anakin Skywalker Thanks!

[@supergrizzidentity]

Nice comparison! You really went out of your way for this one

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Brent Blankenship Thanks! 😀

[@YeOleBorther]

havent commented in a while but i still love the vids! Best part of my Monday!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Seven Ragle I appreciate the comment and kind words :)

[@YeOleBorther]

I appreciate the great content! Im learning so much watching your channel im very thankful i stumbled upon it ☺

[@robbyatmaja6896]

Basswood+maple for me!!! Thanks for this great video Darrel 🙏

[@jimiblues6992]

Great video....the only thing I wish u did was to compare a fender with a fender not fender vs squire. The quality of basswood differs greatly between budget and high end especially those made in Asia. Cheers and keep up the good work.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Jimi Blues Thanks! Unfortunately, this was the only basswood strat I could get my hands on :) I've never seen a Fender basswood strat, although they may exist.

[@jimiblues6992]

The majority of made in crafted in Japan fenders were made the Ibanez factory and uses basswood that is lighter and pink in color...definitely a higher grade....that's why basswood has such a bad rap...people play a budget "basswood" guitar that weighs a ton and has no tone and then assumes all basswood guitars suck. Enjoy you're videos...other than the aerodyns, James Burton telecaster, and jeff Becks real strat...basswood is mostly made in asia

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Jimi Blues That's good to know. Thanks!

[@lipeguitars]

More high end and bass response from the rosewood , rounded high end slightly more focused mid range from the maple .

[@betorojas3812]

I really enjoy your videos bud! your voice is so relaxing (no homo) and the content so entertaining, specially with the blind tests; you made me know my guitars better I can see you with 500k+ in a few years!!

[@betorojas3812]

Btw, greetings from mexico :D

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Beto Rojas Thanks! I appreciate it :)

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Beto Rojas Greetings! 👍

[@sugarlife485]

big difference attack sustain thanks for doing this...I always say its all about the wood and this video like countless others proves it!

[@bluwng]

Your advice at the end says it all

[@ConwayBob]

Both sound good. The Basswood/Maple sounds a bit fuller and warmer to me, but the difference is so subtle I can't really be sure about it. They're very close to being the same. Good wood is good wood.

[@pascal5142]

Haha this is great! At least through youtube and earphones the difference (if any) is super tiny! Such a great test!!! I went to the store yesterday and i could clearly hear major differences between different Stratocasters and the two i liked most were a CustomShop and one with expensive special pickups. Now i know, pickups are key, amp is key, some other things like speakers, pedals, strings, playing..... but faaaar behind all that the wood, except that it might look really good and make me love my guitar way more of course. Thank you Darell Braun!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Pascal Glad to help! ☺

[@mikemccourt6225]

Great comparison - that's as fair as can be done without swapping the bridge and nut too.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Mike McCourt Thanks! I try to be as impartial as possible :)

[@tinydragon2645]

The only take away I got from this video is: no matter what your "tonewood" is, what really makes you sound good is how well you play... :-) Great video Darrell, thanks for uploading!

[@zabtej1645]

Really nice words at the end of the video! If you haven't yet you might consider making a video about setup and picking technique and their effect on the misterious tone. I feel like setup and technique are underrated in this topic. Cheers.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

+Lóránt Mályinkó Sure, I'll add it to my list :)

[@mck1972]

Your computer oscilloscope graph appears to show that the note decay was slower in the basswood/maple, than in the alder/rosewood, especially in the mid range, which means that the basswood/maple model's notes sustained longer.

[@jacobstout9769]

I believe guitar 1 in the first blind comparison is the alder body, the mids stand out a little more. guitar 2 basswood, everything seems flat and even and a little more of a "snap" to the notes. Oh, you got answers in this video... I am fairly surprised i got all of them correct. I prefer the basswood over the alder. Really great video, same guitar player so the tone that is produced by the hands is controlled.

[@RodrigoRockChannel]

Surprising that both guitars sounded so similar, althought the woods are different. Didn't hear a lot of difference on distortion, maybe some more warmth on the chords... anyway, this proves that upgrading pickups on a guitars will always make a great difference.

[@gregoryfazio6663]

This is a helpful video for sure, but when doing an A/B comparison, better to have all things equal; The white alder strat has a rosewood fingerboard and the blue basswood one has a maple board -- this also influences the tone when trying to discern subtle differences.